


Heaven's Blade and Hell's Armour

by LuckyIzzy



Series: Ironically Strange [14]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Angel!Peter Parker, Angels and Demons, Angst, Demon!Tony Stark, Fighting Demons, First Dates, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Protecting the World, Slow Burn, Sorcerer!Stephen Strange, Stephen summons Tony, Suicidal Thoughts, implied depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-06-26 10:40:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15661566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckyIzzy/pseuds/LuckyIzzy
Summary: Stephen wants to protect the world no matter what. Maybe against his better judgement and under desperate circumstances, he summons a certain demon.The story begins.





	1. Sunsets on Evil Eye

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this beautiful [art](https://twitter.com/2byeo/status/1009033988608888833?s=21).  
> Beta read by lovely IrxnStrxnge (Erja).

Stephen felt himself getting weaker with each passing moment. It was not like the demon was particularly strong, it just had a very crafty ability. It stole Stephen’s strength everytime its tentacles touched him. He huffed, soon he wouldn’t be able to even conjure a basic shield. He tried to think fast as he dodged another tentacle making its way towards him. His black cassock was tattered, and he was bleeding. He could easily fix himself, but he dare not waste his remaining magic on himself. He needed to hold off this monster till the town folks were safely evaluated. Even his Holy Relic Cloak of Levitation hardly did much. 

_Damn it, that is not how he dies._

He immediately flipped open his Book of Agamotto. It was an ancient mystic book in vivid green binding with an intimidating eye drawn upon it. 

He needed to take the risk, at least he would get to put an end to this monstrosity.Shielding himself with a rune, he flipped through the pages of the book. The monster smashed against the golden shield again and again, a crack slowly appearing in it.

Angels...no no no no...it usually ends up with the summoner being the victim of heavenly wrath.  
Demon it is then. 

_But...which one?_ Stephen frantically flipped through the book, he hardly has any time left. Lower demons do not even have the ability to negotiate properly, some demons had too tricky abilities to control them and a higher demon like Lucifer, Samael, Asmodeus or Lilith would be uncontrollable.  
Then his eyes caught on one page, the demon was of a very high rank, would be tough to control....

 

When a large crack appeared side to side on his Shield of Seraphim, he decided it was Do or Die. He began to chant the cursed runes. Right the moment his shield shattered and turned into fleeting marine green butterflies, a dark figure appeared in front of him, "Oh dear, I really do love this type of dramatic entrances."

Stephen did not need to bat an eyelash as a flash of blue ripped through the monster, tearing it apart. He saw the monster disappearing to one of demon dimensions. He collapsed on the ground. As much as he would love to pass out then and there, he needed to deal with what other monster he had brought to this world. 

He pried his eyes open to stare at the figure standing in front of him, looking at him with eyes full of amusement and curiosity.

He did not look like a demon, except for the two pointed horns on his head full of slightly spiked dark brown mop of hair, and a slightly pointed pair of ears. There was a transparent white veil covering his face, he wore a black cassock too, which had red and gold embroidery. On his sternum was a bright blue glow. 

Stephen's cloak dragged him up. There was a chain bound around his wrist which rose up to bind itself around the demon's throat, _the mark of obedience, one wrong move and the demon could devour his soul and wreck havoc in the world, breaking the chainz_.

"What do thee seek, Last ruler of Stark, Anthony," Stephen said in his best authoritative tone.

The demon snorted, "Just Tony is fine."

Stephen blinked.

The demon poked his cloak, which flapped in discontent. 

"Hmm...this seems like a fine cloak," The dem- Tony prodded more in curiosity.

Stephen's eyes widened in fear, if the demon wished for his cloak, he hardly had any freedom to deny it. He had already used his ability. Now he had to pay the price. He froze.

"Really, there is no need to freeze like I am about to devour your soul, I do have something akin to a brain unlike most of my subordinates or human beings for that matter," He now picked the cloak up, patting it all over.

Stephen sat there helpless. Despite how annoying his sentient cloak was, he had grown attached to it. Losing it would be like losing a family member. 

 

Then Tony stared at him pointedly, like he was offended that Stephen was so scared of him. 

Stephen said, "What may I offer you, St-Tony?"

Tony laughed, "As much as I would love to have that cloak of yours, I doubt it will function in the realms where I live."

Stephen breathed a sigh of relief. 

"But really, since you dragged me from my workshop for such pathetic excuse of a demon, I must charge you something," Tony grinned.

"And what might that be?" Stephen gulped, _really, he might have been relieved too early_.

"A memory, your happiest memory to be exact," Tony said.

Ah, it really might be the cheapest price for a demon like Stark, but Stephen felt a rock on his chest. Losing a memory he wanted to relive again and again was a terrible loss. 

"Certainly," Stephen closed his eyes to visualize his favorite memory one last time. 

_A younger Stephen ran around the large expanse of the green field, followed closely by his brother Victor. A jolly, bubbly girl chased after them screaming in delight, Donna. It was the last family picnic they had. Donna was wearing a sky blue hawaiian frock, her hair was ruffled by the wind, "Stephen! Wait for me!" Stephen stopped on his tracks to look back at his sister, "Really, you are too slow, Don-"_

"And done!" Tony chimed, "I will make sure to have a lot of fun with this." he was swirling a iridescent semi-liquid around his long right index finger.

Stephen could not remotely remember what he was thinking about, he just felt like he was missing a very important piece of himself. His scarred palm reached up to clutch at his heart.

"Well then, I will be off, see you around Houdini," Tony slowly faded.  
Stephen stared at him, as the setting sun flashed on his fading face. He noticed, Tony's eyes reflected nothing, the pupils were like pitless dark tunnels.

He suddenly felt very cold and scared.


	2. I Got too Many Memories Getting in the Way of Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-read by my lovely Erja (IrxnStrxnge) and DonnaClaireHolmes.

He could not stop thinking about it, about that pitless dark tunnel surrounded by warm brown in the fire sunlight.

Maybe it is the demon’s charm. Demons and many dark creatures are always well equipped to attract human beings to make them their victim. If that is the case, then Stephen should definitely stop thinking about it, because he might just end up being another victim of Stark.

But his curiosity got the better off him. _Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer_ , he shrugged and got up from the bed. Wong has bandaged him up nice and well. He could feel his magical energy replenishing. As he got up from the bed, his cloak draped over him like a blanket over his sleeping robe, it sure was warm and comforting.

He walked to the underground archive. It was his favorite place in the whole sanctum. Really not many people had come in here. Outsiders thought it was just a regular church, but in reality it was the centre for holy sorcerers, who fought against demons who invaded the barriers and seeped into the human world and also invoke the barriers. It held the histories of centuries and so many secrets. He liked it here. The Sanctum might be his second favorite place after his old home, the one he shared with his siblings and parents.

As his scarred hands traced over the covers of the worn out old books, he felt himself growing nostalgic and bittersweet. It was pretty unusual.

_Maybe it is a side-effect of encountering a demon_.

 

He let himself be indulged as he picked a book on demonology and flopped on a chair. He had the book in his hand without reading. His mind had travelled back to his old life. _Donna, Victor….mother...father…_

 

He still vividly remembers the fateful day, when he suggested Donna to go swimming with him. They were so happy. He was ahead of Donna. Suddenly he had looked back and saw no trace of her.

 

He searched frantically. Then all of a sudden something large had came out of the water, clutching on Donna, She had screamed and screamed, begging Stephen to save her, _Steph...save me...I don’t...want to die...it hurts...Stephen…._

Stephen let the book fall to the ground as his hands fisted in his dark locks, he never wanted to feel like that again, helpless, vulnerable and alone.

But nightmares never came alone. Then his brain automatically thought about Victor. Victor wanted to be alive too...but he had been possessed by a demon. He lost himself. Stephen cannot even imagine what terrible a death Victor had. He could not save anyone. He had to let go of everyone he loved. He was so terribly useless.

_He was so terribly alone._  
  
  
Then he had decided that no one should have to go through what he had. He wanted to protect human beings against those demons. He became a doctor of demonic disorders. He had been so happy when he invented a medicine to keep werewolves transformations at bay, even a surgery to minimize physical transformations. He had been working on something for vampires too, along with his beloved Christine.

Vampires and Werewolves never chose to become who they were. They were just unlucky victims of demon disease.

But when did anything work out the way Stephen wanted it to? One day, when he had been driving, he felt a demon creeping up on his car. He threw holy water, crucifix, salt, King Solomon’s seal but alas! All had failed.

He had felt the demon crushing his bones, he had cried out in terrible pain and anguish.

Even after that incident, he tried so hard to cure his hands. But no one could help him. It was woven with demonic energy. Some had suggested he might try to summon an angel, but he did not know how.

_He was so alone once again._

 

Then fate had led him to the ancient one. He had discovered other ways to protect human beings.

He would keep protecting even if it means sacrificing his soul or selling it to the devil himself. He wants to get rid of all the demons existing, but he knows it is impossible. But he would give up his life trying to protect his dimension.

_He does not want to be so alone and helpless again._

This time, he will do something.

 

Tired and beaten, he decided moping around the archive without actually reading any book would be very disrespectful. Thus he went up the spiral staircase to retire in his bed room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Victor and Donna are both Stephen's canon siblings in comics, you can look it up. It is very sad.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading!! <3


	3. When Can I See You Again?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and his literally hellish life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta read by lovely IrxnStrxnge (Erja)!

Tony was feeling restless as he did some tinkering around his workshop. Pepper walked in with a poker face. Tony became majestically bored at the idea of being lectured yet again. He pretended to be very busy instead of what he was actually doing-fooling around in his workshop.   
  
“Don’t even think about ignoring me, Anthony Stark!” Pepper furiously stomped.   
  
“No idea what you are talking about, Pep,” Tony focused on a peck of a very uninteresting chunk of metal.   
  
“You...YOU ignored all your duties as a ruler of this dimension, then you ,again, travelled to the human world yesterday-” Pepper yelled.   
  
“Excuse me, but yesterday some damn cosplayer summoned me,” Tony tried to act very offended, “We are in 21st century, who the fuck even summons demons now, how does the summoning thing even work now-”   
  
“THAT DOES NOT EXPLAIN WHY YOU WERE LOUNGING IN A MEXICAN BEACH THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY!”   
  
Tony felt like his ears were about to fall off.   
  
“Well, I went to human world to get some metals-which is extremely rare in this dimension, then decided to chill out a bit on the nice warm beach. It was a nice change of scenery by the way, this damn place does not even have sun, and I recommend you -”   
  
“YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE HUMAN WORLD AS YOU PLEASE.”   
  
“When did I ever listen to a rule?” Tony rolled his eyes, “This transport I made allows the borders to allow me to go to the human world, though it actually only allows a part of my soul there, so I cannot really do some ‘evil, demonic” stuff like kicking a puppy there.”   
  
Pepper sighed, exasperated,  _ really what was she to do with this man child? “ _ Tony, that is not the point here. I understand you trying to find a different source of power for your Arc reactor, but you are neglecting your duties as a ruler then trespassing the human world. What if the heavens decided to punish you-”   
  
“MR. STARK!” a bubbly voice called out. Long before there was a figure of a young grinning teenager in red jacket with a spider t-shirt underneath and sweatpants. He looked like just another human being.   
  
Pepper facepalmed, “Parker, I told you, you definitely should not come here, as an angel-”   
  
Peter waved his hands around, “No one really minds. No offence Ms. Potts you are just a bit backdated, just a bit though.” he smiled awkwardly.   
  
Tony chuckled.    
  
“BUT LOOK, I WENT TO THE HUMAN WORLD TODAY...AND,” he grabbed his t-shirt, “THIS IS COOL RIGHT?”   
  
Pepper felt like she should facepalm into the desk now. Tony could not stop the grin creeping up.   
  
Finally he decided to take pity on Pepper, “Look here, Pep, I already announced you as the ruler of my dimension right? You should try your best at that. No promises but I will try my best to be safe.”   
  
Pepper looked at him sternly for one second before giving in, “Fine, but if you get in trouble, I will kick you to the lowest pits of hell with my heels, before Heaven gets to you.”   
  
Then Tony looked at Pepper’s shoes, “That looks like human stilettoes.” He frowned.   
  
Pepper shrugged, “A shop was selling this. I liked them.” She walked off.

  
Peter was silently looking at them, while switching his balance from one feet to another.    
  
“Com’ere kid, you will like this,” Tony pointed at his desk.   
  
“That is so cool, Mr. Stark,” Peter’s voice was as high pitched as always. It was a tiny mechanical spider which walked around the desk.    
  
“Did you manipulate it with-”   
  
“Nah, just simple human tech.”   
  
“That is so cool!” Peter fawned over the tiny spider. Tony handed him a thin headband, “Putting it around your head will allow you to sync the spider with your mind.”   
  
Peter was stunned.   
  
Tony felt a smile tugging on his lips, as he watched Peter playing around with the spider. He made this when Peter told him how he had found spiders from the human realm cute, but he could not really have one as a pet since they died immediately.    
  
“Hey Kiddo, you can have this. This is yours.”    
  
“Really!” Peter smiled wide and clutched the spider tight, “Thank you, Mr. Stark!”   
  
Then Peter’s smiled wide and Tony had trouble breathing and he trembled. “Now underoos, I get how happy you are but don’t infect my house with those heavenly charms” He coughed clutching on his reactor.   
  
“I AM SO SORRY MR. STARK!” Peter flushed and immediately concealed his power, “Are you okay, Mr, Stark, I am so sorry, I….” Peter babbled.   
  
“It is alright, Pete, just be careful next time,” Tony waved his hand, “No biggie.”   
  


* * *

  
  
  
When Peter was gone, Tony sighed. He was so tired, how long has he been searching for the answer? He still vividly remembers the day he fell from heaven. Some Angel has pierced his chest, taking his heart. He thought he would die. But another demon had fixed this reactor on his chest as a replacement of his heart. Despite its innocent blue glow, it drew powers from the dark dimension to keep him going. He hated being alive like this, he needed to have a replacement power, another different source. He had hoped that the human realm may provide him with some answer. He hated that evil and dark and sorrow kept him alive. As much as he despised it, he could not bring himself to sacrifice himself, he is not that good.    
  
He had been alone, searching for the answer after his parents died in the holy war. He was so glad he had found Rhodey, a general in hell’s army, his best friend, then Pepper, who worked in his court, then Peter, an angel from above.   
He had actually came across Peter in the human world, and he was glad. He missed heaven too. Peter was like a link to heaven.   
  
  
He decided to retire to his room. He had a memory to watch. That had certainly been fun. It’s been a long time since he had went to human world with his full potential. Regrettably, it had lasted only a short time.   
  


* * *

He sat as the memory played around his mind. The content was not something very unique. Just a childhood memory of the sorcerer?priest? Whatever he had met, having family time.   
  
But it was the warmth and the depth of feelings that took his breath away. The sincerity of feelings in the memory almost made him regret taking it away...almost. But he was a demon, he did not regret such things.   
  
He smiled, he would not really dislike to be summoned yet again to meet that guy once more.

  
  



	4. Pray for the Wicked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephen found himself surrounded by zombies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta read by lovely IrxnStrxnge (Erja), really my grammar is all over the place without her.

Stephen wanted to forget the encounter by any means. He hated how he felt back then, how stumped he had been.

_Vulnerable._

So he went about his business, speaking no word of the event to anyone, including Wong. 

But universe seldom went the way Stephen wanted.

That is exactly why he found himself encircled by some brain-dead, undead zombies. There were almost 50 of them. His heart ached as he destroyed each of them by squeezing them with his Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. He hated people dying- hated it even more if the said death was thanks to some demonic power. His heart yearned to help them. But he could do nothing except killing them so that the disease did not infect others. There was no other way.

There **is** a way.

But Stephen did his best trying not to think about that. He could not put himself through that, he could not. It was too much. He had promised himself he would not.

 

Then another zombie gnawed at him. Horrified, he realized it was just a little child.

 

Immediately his resolution shattered into pieces.

 

The cursed rune felt like a childhood lullaby he could not forget even if he tried. 

 

He hated that. He hated depending on someone else. He should be there for others to lean on, not the other way around.

 

 

“Aha, knew it,” A familiar voice greeted him with amusement. There was a shield around them with crimson runes that Stephen could not recognise. He figured they were ancient demonic ones. The zombies slashed on it fruitlessly.

He closed his eyes with the tiredness creeping over him, “Don’t kill them.”

“Sure thing!” Tony grinned wider, “M a s t e r.” He drawled.

“Can you reverse the curse put on them?” Stephen collected himself and asked.

“Of course, tricky but easy as a pie.” Tony’s grin looked like a crescent moon.

 _Here comes the wicked part._ “What would you want in return?” 

Tony pretended to be thoughtful, “If I asked for my freedom in the world.”

_Stark demons, Merchants of Death._

“Then bye,” Stephen made a motion to send Tony back to hell.

“Wait wait, I am just kidding, Dumbledore.”

“Dumbledore?” Stephen asked.

“Oh please, we are demons, not some barbarians. Everyone read Harry Potter,” Tony shrugged.

Stephen deadpanned. 

“I want to drink your blood,” Tony declared.

“Pardon, I do not find myself entertained by the fact that I will die of blood deprivation,” Yes, dealing with a demon had been a terrible idea.

Tony chuckled, “Really, you need not be so afraid of me sorcerer. I would drink your blood but neither will have a long term side effect or cause your death. Maybe slight vertigo from blood loss.”

Stephen weighed the deal in his mind. Life of 50 innocent people, in exchange of his blood? 

Why was that even a question?

“Fine. But you need to heal them before- no tricks demon.”

“Alright alright,” Tony huffed.

Then Tony raised his left hand. There was a blue circle glowing on it. Then his white veil raised as a crimson circle of runes appeared around him. His irises turned red from the glow. His brown hair waved from the power emitting from his magic. He was softly chanting something.

Similar, but smaller crimson circles appeared around the undeads. After a nerve wracking glow of of red, Stephen saw a pile of unconscious human beings lying on the floor.

He hunched down and touched one man’s throat to check for a pulse. 

It was beating.

 

“Chill dude, I am not going to break the deal that way, now can I have my paycheck. They will wake up in a day or two.”

 

_Okay, all demons were not scary, some of them were just plain out a pain in the neck._

 

“Yes I know,” Stephen drew the sleeve of his left hand up. The sooner it was over, the better.

 

Tony looked at him, unimpressed, “From the neck.”

“You wanted the blood, you did not mention the place.”

“Yes, but I do not even remember the last time I had warm human blood. Drinking from neck was always the best. If I have from the wrist, I would not have full satisfaction which actually violates my deal.”

 

Stephen looked at him unconvinced. There was a vast chance that this demon was, in fact, lying. Better to be safe than sorry.

Without further ado, he undid the top two buttons of his cassock, and moved it to reveal his pale white neck, contrasting sharply with the dark black cassock. 

Tony licked his lips.

Stephen tried in vain to ignore that.

 

Then Tony stepped in closer, held his neck delicately in one hand. For a demon, his touch is surprisingly gentle. With his free hand, he raised the translucent veil. 

In such close proximity, Stephen could see Tony’s eyes so clearly. Warm brown with dark, dark pupils.

Stephen shivered as he felt himself falling down a dark tunnel with no sun in sight.

 

Then Tony’s teeth sank into him.

It did not really hurt, not really. The pain was like a sort of burn and ache-of pleasant kind, one which made you full of adrenaline and endorphins. Stephen felt his muscles relaxing and a sense of euphoria came upon his veins. His hands automatically went around Tony to press him closer. His heart beat in his ears. There was darkness creeping in the corners of his vision. But he did not mind.

_It was pleasant, calming, peaceful._

_Bliss._

_How long had it been since he had felt it?_

He closed his eyes to let himself be swallowed by the darkness.

 

Then there was piercing pain racing in his body and his eyes flew open. He sank down on the grass. Tony was standing there with a grin on his blood red lips-coloured with blood.

_My blood._

 

“See how easy would it have been to just drink you dry,” Tony chuckled, mischief glinting in his eyes, “But I did not.”

 

Stephen had no words, he clasped his palm over his punctured throat.

 

“See you around, human,” Tony waved his hand, “By the way, your blood has been pleasantly delightful.” He licked his lips again. 

“Ah I would not mind tasting again,” He said as he faded away along with the chain that bound them.

Stephen heaved a sigh and collapsed on the ground as the effects of blood loss hit him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments and kudos. In case you are wondering all the chapter titles come from music lyrics, and this one straight up an album.


	5. I Got So Sick Of Being On My Own, Now The Devil Won't Leave Me Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forbidden things are always tempting. Unfortunately for Stephen, he cannot deny the temptation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always my beta-reader is my dear IrxStrxnge.

Stephen now had to deal with two issues and get over his denial.

One, all demons might not be as bad as he had perceived them to be. He must get over his trauma and stereotypes. It was the 21st century, not some age-old ancient times.  
Two, his reaction to Tony’s bite had been a normal physical and mental reaction to being bitten by a demon. It was supposed to human beings, that was exactly how demons and dark, evil creatures fed on humans, by making them get lost in pleasure.

All through the day, his hands distractedly went up to the broken skin on his neck, to massage and drag his finger over it. He trembled, a chill running down his spine whenever he remembered what had happened. He drowned himself in books to keep his mind of the certain demon.

 

His mind drifted towards what the demon might want in exchange next time. It had taken his precious memory, blood….did not look like the demon, Tony, would be a fan of repetition. Would it ask for his soul? Ask for a death of a dear loved one? His mind was filled with curiosity.

_Facilis descensus Averno._

 

Stephen had always been a curious person. He had went through thousands of books even in his childhood because he had always hated not knowing things. Now he hated not knowing about Tony. His brain was screaming at him to do it and be done with it. If he did not like what the demon’s deal was, he could always send him back. Right? It was not like he had anything to wish for then, anyway.

 

He was convinced it would work fine. 

 

He put down his book and walked out of the archive. Summoning a demon for no reason in front of Wong would be an unthinkable idea. He gracefully walked up to his room. Today, he was not in his usual dark cassock, he wore a grey polo underneath a black loose jacket and jeans. He contemplated whether it was an appropriate attire to summon a demon. His cloak flew at him upon his command, it was better to have at least some guard. 

 

Standing in the middle of the room, he held the Book of Agamotto in his hand and chanted the rune the third time. He felt like he did not remember a time when he did not know the rune.

Soon enough a glowing red circle appeared along with the grinning figure of Tony. He was in his usual clothes. He grinned wide, “You should have told me it was such an informal event, I would have put on something casual too.” Then someone from his shoulder said, “Actually you can just switch your clothes now.” Stephen looked at him quizzically.  
Tony waved his hands, “Nah.” then took in Stephen’s expression, “Ah that is FRIDAY, my familiar.” Stephen noted it was small faerie.  
“FRIDAY, you can go back now.”  
“Yes, Boss,” the faerie faded away.

“So, third time, eh?” Tony raised an eyebrow at him, “I wonder what I can take from you in exchange of my contract.”

“Contract?” Stephen asked, confused.

“Ara, you really thought you could get away that easily by summoning such a high ranked demon as myself without a purpose?” Tony stepped in closer, “There will always be consequences.”

“Such as?” Stephen tried not to let his panic inside show on his face.

“Now you have to pay the price I ask for, in exchange I will work for your familiar,” Tony’s grin was wicked.

“What If I do not wish for you to serve me as your master?” Stephen did not want to even think what that price would be.

“Then a curse will be put upon you, and I will return to hell. It would be such a shame really,” Tony shook his head, “For both of us.”

Demon curses were seldom a good thing.

 

“What if I cannot pay the price you ask for?”

“Cursed. It is boring and annoying, I know. But that is how it works, even now.”

“Should not breaking the chain make you return to inferno now?”

Tony’s face was now just feets away from his as he replied, “You are forgetting, I am not some lower level demon, I am a Stark. Either you pay the price and proclaim yourself as my master. Or you refuse and get cursed for life - or even afterlife and I return home.”

Stephen stared in disbelief before flipping open his book of Agamotto to reach the part about Starks. It was all written in ancient runes that even Stephen himself could not read very well. That was probably why he had not paid much attention to the cautions placed there.

 

**Summoning a Stark Demon without any set purpose is fatal and must not be done at any costs. It allows the Stark demon to be your familiar in exchange of a certain, costly price. Otherwise, curse falls upon the summoner. Only a high ranked angel or demons of higher level than Stark could reverse it.**

 

_Stephen was trapped. He really should have known better than to play with fire. He was disappointed in himself. He wanted to punch himself in the face, and wanted to punch this goddamn, in this case literally god damned, demon, in the face._

 

He had to do it. Gathering up his courage, he asked, “What will that price be?”

When a wicked, wicked smile appeared on Tony’s lips, he knew he was done for. 

“Then, Stephen….Master, I shall ask for your body.”

Stephen’s eyes narrowed, “In a biblical sense-”

Then Tony laughed, “Crudely put, I want to have sexual intercourse with you.”

 

_Oh heavens, what terrible sins I must have committed._

But it was better than Tony asking for anyone’s life or causing chaos hitherto undreamt of. Stephen had always been a practical man.

 

He sighed and said, “Alright then, go ahead.”

Tony slowly stepped closer to him like he was approaching a small animal who would flee when it was startled.

 

Stephen had his eyes clenched shut and tried not to think about it when he was pushed down on the bed. There were warm lips kissing him, then pressing butterfly kisses down his jaws and a callus palm making its way into his shirt. Even if he had trouble denying that Stark was a very attractive demon, he did not want this.

_He did not want this._

And then the kisses were gone. Surprised, he sat up, eyes flying open. Stark was standing on the floor again. 

“Wha-” Stephen begun to ask.

“I did not really want it after all,” Tony was looking over the back of his left hand, there was a crimson rune, not unlike the one Tony used.

Stephen finally noticed a burning sensation rising up his right hand, he raised it up to see the similar rune carved.

 

“I did not pay for anything then,” Stephen broke the silence stretching over a minute.

“Yes you did, I just did not accept what you paid,” Tony smiled.

“Then-” Stephen did not know what to expect anymore.

“Oh, so strange I already feel like spending time with you will be such a treat.” Tony looked like the Cheshire Cat.

Stephen was so stunned that he did not even react to the pun.


	6. You Are The Faith Inside Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephen has some certain sensations deep in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IrxnStrxnge is forever my beta reader <3.

Okay, so having a demon as a familiar was horribly like having a dog as a pet. It was loyal, followed you about, wanted you to treat them, crazy about attention……  
Stephen was almost 96% sure that if he started petting Tony on his head, the guy would just lie flat on the floor and let him pet him, wagging some invisible tail. His insatiable curiosity almost made him try out this hypothesis but fortunately his saner mind-whatever was left of it held him in rein. He sighed, prolonged exposure to demonic abilities might drive human beings insane afterall.

Obviously, Wong had not been terribly excited over Tony’s presence inside the sanctum. He even tried to find ways to make Tony go away. But after much hard work and delicacies Tony had brought for Wong, he had gotten a bit lenient towards this demon. 

 

It was really fine. Demons were supposed to feed off its master’s emotions and feelings and magic, but Stephen did not really feel anything different than usual. He wondered whether summoning a demon and sealing a deal of a demon being your familiar was as big a deal as everyone made it out to be.

His beloved cloak had not been ecstatic over this new addition to the sanctum either. It had angrily billowed and continued its sulking session for a while. It once even smacked Tony on his ass, (which earned an amused chuckle and a stupefied expression from Tony and Stephen respectively).  
But it slowly accepted Tony’s presence. Stephen even thought that Cloak had even got attached to Tony.   
It was a miracle considering Cloak was made by angels and Tony was a demon.

 

_In every angel a demon hides, and in every demon an angel strides._

But Stephen was fine really, to an extent, he was even happy. 

 

He had slowly gotten used to find Tony in his bed after Tony had sneaked up on him, and curled himself really like a dog.

_“Who knew demons slept?” Stephen had asked Tony one morning jokingly.  
“I am sleeping after a few centuries,” Tony had replied, nonchalantly. But then he had added with a smile. “Just being around me makes me feel eased like I do not really remember.”_

_Which had made Stephen’s heart go light and warm. But after that Stephen never really seriously complained about Tony sneaking into his bed and under the blankets._

Even though he would never admit it, he liked the warmth of another person-albeit a demon besides him. People hardly had enough patience to put up with him day by day. It was a nice change. He liked the glow of blue on Tony’s reactor, and even the messed mop of spiked up brown hair over pale and calm face.

 

He quite liked having breakfast with Tony. He did not know demons needed to consume human food either. But then Tony had said, he just liked eating with him.

 

It was also quite nice not having to use up his energies in a fight. Tony was indeed very strong. He could get rid of all the monsters and crisis at a snap of his fingers. He summoned beautiful vibrant crimson swords and shields with ancient runes. Tony called those Bleeding Edge Armour.

Every single time he saw Tony summon his abilities and get rid of the monsters while gracefully dancing in the bright light, it took his breath away. He felt like he could watch it for an infinity. Stephen really did not understand how something is so beautiful could be associated with someone like guardians of hell or evil. Tony was like an angel of fire. 

_Maybe all beautiful entities in the world had something dark and cruel hiding underneath them, or vice versa,_ Stephen thought.

 

Stephen tried very hard not to think about the warm and fuzzy feeling to the pits of his stomach whenever Tony smiled at him, or how he was unreasonably happy at Tony’s presence around him. It pressed onto his chest and gave him an irresistible urge to reach out and caress Tony’s cheeks or run his fingers through those warm brown locks.  
Really, thinking about that would hardly get him anywhere. Tony had lived for centuries and centuries and witnessed rise and fall of thousands of emperors in so many dimensions. He had been through things Stephen can hardly imagine. Tony was a demon, a high ranked one at that. A playful, vile dark creature for whom Stephen definitely should not have felt the way he did what he felt. But despite him priding himself as being logical, his heart did whatever it pleased.

Then like a sweet torture, Tony was giving out innuendos or flirting with him straight up. It was probably one of the mischievous prank of the demon. It did not make the situation better that, whenever they were out grabbing food, with Stephen in casual clothes and Tony in his hoodie, people did mistook them as a gay couple. It led Stephen glaring at whoever had made that bold assumption and Tony grinning smugly.

 

_It surprised Stephen how he wistfully wished Tony was a human._

 

Then one day Stephen had been sitting on the couch, reading a book. Tony had walked in. Stephen had noticed a slight crack in his usual confident expression. 

“Stephen?”  
Stephen was fairly alarmed with the use of his actual name, thus he put his book down and looked at Tony, “Yes?”

“Wondering if the new Italian restaurant would be upto your tastes,” Tony looked a bit away.

Stephen raised his one of his eyebrow, “Is it a date?”

“Only if you want it to be,” Tony replied coyly.

Stephen snorted, “I assume there is no matter in dire need of my attention tomorrow evening.”

Then Tony’s face had lighted up like a child on the day of white christmas.

_Well, Heavens strike him if he dare to lose a chance to see that smile._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Personally, I am kind of disappointed with this chapter because I had hurried through it. Next chapter will possibly be longer than my usual ones. Blame my late updates on my broke laptop and life, I definitely do not want to leave this unfinished.   
> Much love <3


	7. Fallen Angel, In The Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and his inner monologue and the fateful first date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is unbeta-ed. If anyone would like to beta, DM me in discord. I am in IronStrange server and Stephen Strange discord.

Tony paced through the room, playing with a fidget spinner. He could not make sense of his own actions. He needed an answer.

 

“ANTHONY EDWARD STARK!”

Tony flinched at the yell, and shook his head; it was totally a predictable reaction. He sighed gravely.

 

Pepper walked in fuming, “Show me your head.”

 

Tony innocently pulled out his other hand. Pepper slapped it away, “The other one.”

 

Gingerly, Tony put his marked hand over Pepper’s. Pepper held it in her warm, soft palms and examined it.

 

Then she let out a gasp and flopped on one of Tony’s chair, exasperated.

 

“For the sake of Lucifer, can you not worry me for one single day?” She pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead.

Tony said nothing and continued rotating the spinner. “What is this?” Pepper’s eyes narrowed, “If it is another suspicious product you intend to use-“

 

Tony waved his hands, “No no the kid got me this, this is called fid-“

Pepper put up her palm, “I don’t wanna know.”

 

Tony fell silent. He hated making people worry over him. He already put so much on Pepper and even now…

Though he felt like sulking because Pepper was worrying so much over him that she was intruding on his personal business, he was not a five year old, damn it.

 

But he tried to diffuse the situation, “Don’t worry, you know how fickle human lives are, it will be over soon enough.”

 

“That is not what I am worried about.”

 

Before Tony could ask her what she was worried about, his dull red mark shined crimson, and he transported himself to the human dimension.

 

He was not letting go of his master, this human being die so soon after all.

* * *

Human world had a certain intoxicating feeling to it. Fighting, albeit mere weaklings, was not so bad either, honestly it was a nice change of pace. Who knows, Lucifer bless him and he might find some human technology to power his reactor. Being present in human world, with his full potential allowed him to cover more fields and hurry his studies up. He guessed he should be grateful to the curiosity of his human being, Stephen Strange.

  


But besides everything, there was something new. As if just staying and fighting by his side, gave him another meaning of his life. Tony did not understand. He was a demon, and he was quite lustful towards anything beautiful and power. It did not make any sense why he would not take the offered body, which could provide him with a certain extent of mystical energy. Stephen was quite an attractive person, with sky like irises and sharp cheekbones, mope of black hair with streaks of grey and the essence of pure power was more than alluring. No matter what he did not understand why he could resist it.

 

He tried to think back to what he had felt back then.

 

Stephen had his eyes clenched shut and his body had gone stiff, nonetheless he had offered himself to Tony. Tony had kissed him, tasted his mouth and caressed his sides. There had been no response from Stephen’s side.

 

_He did not want to do it, he did not want to have Stephen like that. It felt wrong, it felt unsatisfying. He did not want to ruin something so beautiful and pure._

 

That did not make sense. He was an evil demon, he should have been more than willing to do it.

 

_It is only the purest things that are worth defiling._

 

Then why?

 

He felt himself spiraling down the cascade of thought as he begun to wonder

* * *

  
“Then Ned said-,” Tony startled from his trance, looked at Peter, “Is Ned a new angel?”   
“Jeez, Mr. Stark, were not you listening? Ned is my best friend, he is human.”   
  
“Human best friend?”, Tony asked, bewildered.   
  
Peter shrugged, “Why, humans are just us minus the long age and divine powers.”   
  
Tony thought, it did not matter how alike human beings and celestial beings were, they were still different.   
  
He wondered then, what if Stephen was a demon too, or even an angel.   


* * *

  
Stephen and he were fighting a transporting demon. It was not strong, but its powers were tricky. Stephen kept refusing to accept Tony’s help directly. Thus Tony sneakily passed his powers to Stephen to keep strong. He stood by the sidelines, watching Stephen conjure shields and magical prowess.   
  
He might have been distracted for one millisecond. He found Stephen nowhere in his sight.   
  
  
A red flashed inside his mind, without even meaning to, he wiped that demon clean from existence. He looked around frantically, his insides shaking violently.   
  
He held the sign of contract to his sternum. With the realization of where Stephen was, he looked up.   
  
_That damn demon had transported Stephen to some higher altitudes. The lack of oxygen had made Stephen pass out. Now Stephen was falling rapidly, unconscious, without any guard._    
  
  
Instinctively, Tony spread his wings. They were crimson and large with bright golden hues. They were larger than convenient. They tore through his robe, with all their glory. Bright blue and red veins webbed where the wings were connected to his skins.  He had been glad that falling into demonhood had not changed his wings.   
  
It had been a long time since Tony used those. He gave them to flaps for trial. They flapped frantically, creating a storm of dust.   


_Not bad._  
  
He flew of immediately, shooting towards Stephen. The radius of his wings allowed him to be fast. He caught Stephen when they were still away from the ground. He channeled his powers into him, in case Stephen had some serious shock or passed out from deficiency in magical powers.   
  
Stephen opened his eyes. His usual neat hair was all messed up. He looked….different.   
  
Frozen midair, Tony stared at Stephen.   
  
Stephen was a bit dreamy, he laughed, and said “Ah Tony your wings are as pretty as I thought they would be.” He reached out his palm to caress a feather.

  
  
Tony knew right there and then. Tony knew what he had been denying and lying to himself for a while.   
  


* * *

It took all the courage he had to ask Stephen, and that was a large amount. When Stephen had agreed, it took a vast amount of his non-existent self control not to fly upto the sky and fall apart like fireworks on 4th of July.   


In any case, he wanted it to be perfect. He booked a nearby restaurant, nothing too costly or romantic, got some not too formal not too casual clothes. Everything had to be as Stephen liked, no way else. He could not afford to make Stephen overwhelmed or uncomfortable or think that Tony was not putting in any effort.  
  
It was bliss watching Stephen walk beside him, smiling faintly.   
  
_Their first date._  
  
Tony would definitely not mess this up.   
  
  
They sat in the restaurant. Stephen had ordered white wine and a serving of fish. With courtesy, Tony had ordered the same. Stephen had snorted then. He knew how Tony always threw a tantrum while eating and mostly ordered contradictory dishes than Stephen’s.   
  
Even that unrefined gesture like a snort, made affection bubble up in his chest.   
  


 

They were talking about something mundane. Stephen about how Wong acted when he took books from library, Tony about how he used to pull pranks on various angels. It was fun, both of them were laughing.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, the world spinned around Tony, He slammed his hands loudly on the dining table and stood up abruptly. He could not breathe, he felt like his heart was being ripped out of his once again. He breathed through his mouth harshly.  His chest felt totally constricted, he coughed loudly. Then he slid on the floor, his coughs growing violently.   
  
“Tony are you okay? What’s wrong?” He heard Stephen’s voice from a distant, he wanted to answer, yet he could not.   
  
His face fell on the floor, his back arched, he felt his wings spread out of his back, desperately flapping. He was sure his horns were out too. He wanted to stop it all.   
  
  
Yet he could not.   
  
  
He had hidden and ignored it for a long time, seemed like he could not do so anymore.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to point out any mistakes you can find. Sorry for the late update, I posted two one-shots meanwhile. Even one Pepper x Christine !!
> 
> Much love, <3


	8. If You Were A Church

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is dying, slowly but surely. Can Stephen save him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta-ed.

Stephen was startled when Tony stood up abruptly. He asked gingerly, “Tony..?”   
  
Then Tony looked at him, and he felt his blood run cold. Those were not at all the dark, warm, chocolate eyes he was so fond of. Instead the whites of the eyes had turned black like dark tunnels and there were blood like points in place of his eyeballs. He took a step back instinctively. His hand ached and burnt. One look confirmed that his sign was burning brightly, turning his skin reddish and blackish-  _ too much energy spike for his body to bear. _ He ignored it. Despite his body screaming at him to run, he conjured up a mirror dimension. It was a pocket between his reality and other dimension. He presumed Tony’s powers would not hurt anyone here, well, anyone except him, even if he was losing control.  He guessed he had to remedy the situation first, lest Tony’s power managed to overpower his.    
  
He saw Tony’s wings flapping. Tony clutched his hands,curled himself on the floor and continued screaming. He looked like he was in pain,  _ as if his insides were being ripped apart. _ The implant on his chest glowed vibrantly. He called out to Tony again and again. He could not bear to see Tony like this at all.    
  
He took one step towards Tony and immediately felt the energy pushing him back. He grit his teeth and pushed against the resistance. He felt his skin like it was on fire. But at that moment it was no concern of his. He dodged the flap of Tony’s wings, one hit might just knock him out. He crouched down, wrapped his hands around Tony. His eyes were tearing up from the heat.    
  
“As the Master of Anthony Edward Stark, Merchant of Death, the 19th General in Council of Lucifer, I command you to conceal your powers immediately.”   
  
Immediately, the power swell and then pull back. His body hurted. If he was aching this much, then Tony was supposed to be in unthinkable pain. He felt like he would pass out, he conjured up a small bled and stabbed it over his arm, he hoped the new refound pain would keep him awake.    
  
After awhile, he could not feel the energy anymore. There was the faint memory of pain all over his body.He sighed, and loosened his arms around Tony. Tony layed lax over him. His head on the crook of Stephen’s neck. Stephen felt uncomfortable with how he could not hear Tony’s heartbeat.    
  
“Tony? Are you okay?”   
  
Tony hmmed.   
  
Stephen’s hand automatically went to Tony’s head to pat it softly. He ran his fingers through the brown locks. After a bit of comfortable silence, he asked, “What happened?”   
  
  
Tony pulled back from Stephen harshly, he laughed, Stephen could tell it was forced, “Probably some malfunction in the system, nothing really.”   
  
Stephen hated to do what he did next, he held Tony’s wrist tightly in his aching palm, and commanded, “As your master, I demand to know what happened.”    
  
He hated to push Tony into telling him things that he did not want to. But he had to. Otherwise, if it happened next time, Tony might hurt anyone on earth, even himself. Without knowing nothing Stephen could hardly anticipate what dangers would come.

* * *

Stephen searched all the books in Sanctum’s library, then probably looked through as many as he could all through the world. There was absolutely nothing to help Tony. He convinced himself he was not looking through well. As a result, he ended up sleeping only when he passed out, eating when Tony or Wong would not stop nagging him to.   
  
But Tony’s situation was unique, the first time it happened in the history of celestial beings. Living in human world, made Tony’s powers act weird as it was. Then there was the arc reactor acting as the substitute of his heart. Without it Tony would fall apart, but it required feeding. In Demon realm, it could absorb energy from the environment, but in human world it could not. The only way for Tony to to keep it from malfunctioning was to absorb Stephen’s essence. And Tony would not do that, he said he would used all the remaining drops of his sanity to go against it if Stephen even dared to order it. He hated the arc reactor as it was. It was sure to be ruined slowly anyway.   
  
Absorbing a master’s essence caused for the human to slowly lose his memory, sanity and in the end, the demon devoured the soul of the human.  _ The Price of The Contract. _ But Tony had bowed down in front of him and declared that he would never ever do that. Devouring a soul meant it stopped existing from the world completely, no heaven, no hell, no rebirth. Tony could not do that to Stephen.   
  
Stephen could not make Tony live long in demon realm either. The contract meant a majority of Tony’s powers generated and became useful with Stephen’s presence. The Arc reactor was even unable to draw power from dark dimension like before.   
  
Stephen felt helpless again. All the emotions and feelings he despised came loathing him, screaming at him in his head.    
  
Was there no way...nothing to save Tony?

* * *

 

Stephen had been sitting in the living room. Tony was lying on the couch face up. His face was sunken, his doe eyes had black underneath. Tony was coughing from time to time.He could not return to hell, being away from Stephen just might kill him.    
  
Stephen reached up from his seat, to caress Tony’s cheeks. Even damned and ruined, he looked as breathtaking as ever. He inhaled sharply, maybe death was a beautiful thing. Tony did not stir.   
  
His fingers traced over Tony’s eyelids, cheeks, locks of hair. His fingers halted over Tony’s lips. He rubbed over them with his thumb and let his eyes linger on those for an obscene stretch of time. The temptation to lean down and claim them was strong, he resisted. After a sigh, he his hand traced Tony’s jaws. He was falling into a rhythm.    
  
In a moment, he was thrown across the room. He felt his back hit the wall. Tony was rising up from the couch….but it was not Tony at all…...It had none of the human traces Tony bore. There were dark tunnels with crimson slit iris, sharp horns stuck at its head, the wings flapped on its back, they looked as if it was on fire, rest of it was still the human body….   
  
Stephen’s eyes widened as he felt himself seized by the fear, but at the same time…. _ It  _ was breathtakingly beautiful.    
  
The creature clutched its head with its hands and for a moment Stephen could see Tony... _ His Tony. _ Tony mouthed, “Run.”   
  
  
As if Stephen would do that, as if Stephen could leave Tony like that. He needed to save Tony, he had to.   
  
_ He will. _   
  
He stood up ignoring his trembling limbs. He drew up a shield. It wavered in the face of the overflowing energy in front of it.   
  
The creature still had its palms pressed on its head, Tony came back for a fleeting moment again, he said, “Kill me.”   
  
  
_ Tony had taught him how to, for exactly this moment. The contract would be unable to control Tony in this form- humans would not even be able to manipulate a demon anyway if the demon did not want to. But with Stephen’s ability, Stephen could even freeze the demon for a moment, and a moment would be enough to rip out Tony’s reactor. _   
  
Tony had literally asked him to rip out his heart. He snickered,  _ as if I can do that _ .   
  
Stephen commanded the demon to halt, strike with it with the strongest weapon he could conjure, tried to tie it up with the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak.   
  
It was futile. With the level on energy emitting from Tony, most humans, including Wong was likely to flee or faint. He was sure the only thing that kept him going was his contract.    
  
When the demon was two feet near him, it smiled wide, revealing its white sharp fangs.   
  
  
Stephen felt his body starting to convulse with the fear consuming his brain. His rational mind would not pay heed with the rush of dizziness that followed. Yet he could not bear the thought of killing Tony.    
  
Soon enough he felled on the floor like a flower petal amidst the storm. He curled up into himself as the creature smiled wide. 

* * *

Here is this delightful [NSFW ART](https://twitter.com/lilly6v6jojo/status/1042080725917298690) I came across thought I would share, be careful where you open it haha.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies in advance for my future updates. Because   
> 1\. It will come a bit later because I have hordes of work to do.  
> 2\. May house triggering contents, and with totally different vibe from the fiction so far ( in my opinion at least, despite people liking the sweetness, I cannot change my original idea.).  
> 3\. Angst oh angst. (I am sure my YEET will make up for it though. ;p)


	9. You're The One Habit I Just Can't Kick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why did it have to turn out like this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta-ed.

When Stephen woke up, he was on his bed. His body ached, but at that time he did not really care, it was a dull kind of pain. He wanted to sleep more, and he would have. But there was ominous change in the atmosphere around him- it was not negative but intense. He pried his eyes open forcibly to look.    
  
There were a pair of brown eyes staring at him- but it was not Tony. It was a pale, slight boy with a head full of brown locks and clad in a mundane sweater. He looked like he was anywhere near 15- if not younger. He wanted to ask him who he was, and opened his mouth. But at the moment, it seemed like too much of an exercise, all he let out was a cough.

 

The boy gasped, summoned a glass of water from somewhere -  _ which made Stephen realize he was not only a human _ \- made sure to drop at least half on the water over himself. He gasped louder with a chain of sorries and finally put the the glass on Stephen’s lips. Stephen held the glass and drunk.    
  
The boy sighed and sat on the tool, “Uhhmm hi!”   
  


Stephen nodded.   
  
“Ah I forgot to introduce myself, I am Peter, Peter Parker. I kinda know Mr. Stark. Oh yeah I am an angel- if you are wondering. I don’t have any halo or white sheet as clothes though, I have wings incase you-”   
  
Stephen put up his palm before the boy- angel could continue blabbering, “So..you are Tony’s ward?”   
  
Peter’s eyes twinkled, “He said that?”   
  
“Not exactly, but he did talk about you-”   
  
“He did!!?? Oh my god,” Peter squeaked.    
  
Stephen rolled his eyes,  _ seriously were angels supposed to be like this? _ Stephen pushed up his cover to look at himself.   
  
His naked body underneath was covered with bruises and cuts, whatever Tony had done left little to imagination. He dropped the sheets to look at Peter sternly, “Why are you here?”   
  
Peter looked down. “Because….when Tony returned home today he was upset. I never seen him so….fallen apart before. I...thought it was something concerning you, so I just came here to check.”   
  
After a tell-tale silence, Stephen asked, “How is Tony?”   
“Healthwise good, his aura seems to be stabilised now,” Peter continued after a pause, “I...fixed you, I could not really afford to use my proper ability because others will surely ask me why. But you will be fine in a while.” He smiled guiltily.   
  
_ Demons really do feed off others’ despair, misfortune and power. _ __   
__   
“That’s….good,” Stephen sank into the bed. He wanted to sleep, he wanted never to wake up. He felt like screaming his lungs out.    
  
Instead he did nothing and closed his eyes.   
  
Peter said, his voice nervous, “Tony...he is so...sorry. He cannot forgive himself.”   
  
Stephen’s voice cracked as he answered, “I can’t forgive him either.” He bit the insides of cheeks,  __ why did it have to turn it out like this? Why? Could not he have one single good thing?   
  
It seemed Peter was not done, he continued, “He is even thinking of killing himself.”   
  
The thought of Tony killing himself broke Stephen’s heart, but he answered, “He was going to die anyway.”   
  
“You know, dying for angels and demons and other celestial beings are different. When they die, their power gets divided into many dimensions and it takes centuries, millennia, myrioi even. So if Tony dies, his powers will be divided like that as he reborns slowly. I heard it is very painful- your insides being ripped apart and mended again and again and again and again, and you can’t make it stop.”   
  
Peter stood up, “And he thinks he deserves that.”   
  
Stephen was biting the cover, he answered, “Maybe he does.”   
  
Peter yelled, “ **No! He doesn’t! It was not his fault, it is all this stupid system and Mr. Stark would never do something like that** .”   
  
Stephen replied bitterly, “Yet, he did.”   
  
Peter stormed away from the room, “ **It is all the stupid system’s fault, Mr. Stark did not ask to be what he is** .” Stephen was sure he heard flap of wings.    
  
He dragged the cover up and curled up in the bed.   
  
He wanted to cry but the tears would not come.

* * *

He missed Tony desperately. He missed Tony like he had missed his old life. And he was sure he would get over it.   
Because Tony had no excuses. Stephen was sure as hell he did not deserve whatever happened to him. He was sure Tony did too. Because Tony did not come here anymore. No attempt to sneak into his bed, no sleeping together, no shared meals and no snarky comments.  
  
  
He got more used to locking himself into his rooms, reading all day. He did not feel like eating, sleeping. Eating made him sick and he puked anyway. Lying in bed trying to sleep made him despair. Wong did not ask anything. He did not bother to say. What was there to say? “ _It was stupid of me to summon a freaking demon because I did not know it would assault me someday? I am sorry?”_   
  
He dug his nails deep enough into his skins to leave crescent scars. He bit his lips hard enough to cut and draw blood. He dipped into the scorching water while bathing, enough to turn his pale skin flushed red.  Yet, those never ached enough to surpass the itching feeling crawling inside his skins.  
  
 _Being hurt by the person you love really does leave an large black hole inside of you._ _It really is the worst feeling ever._ _  
_ __  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was no other way.


	10. I Can't Life The Weight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was no other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is the last installment, FINALLY! This Story had 2000+ hits! So happy :' ]

Tony had not come out of the workshop for one month. He did not need food or sleep anyway, and if he did die from energy malnourishment, it would be for the best, really. Peter had come to visit from time to time, he had sat at a corner and stared at Tony worriedly. Peter really was not as young and oblivious people- angels and demons liked to think, he was in fact, a few centuries old. He knew the severity of the situation, he also knew that he had nothing that could remedy the circumstances. Still he could not help but worry about Tony, useless, stupid hedonistic Tony. Tony somehow wondered, what he had done to deserve such warm eyes staring at him full of respect and admiration. He was sure he did not deserve it, the kid was being delusional.   
  
Everyday Peter would come around, chatted about Aunt May, his friend Ned and Mj, sometimes tinkered in the lab alongside Tony. Yet there was a dark cloud hanging in him. Tony knew Peter was visiting Stephen. He so desperately wanted to ask how Stephen was, he couldn't bring himself to. He did not deserve to utter Stephen’s name.   
  
For the first time, in his millenias of lifetime, he felt like the demon he was. His chest ached and burnt, and it was not only from the missing heart.   
  
  


 

* * *

He had not visited earth for months. There was this yearn that he managed to ignore. He could not face Stephen. But seemed like the feeling was mutual. Stephen had not even summoned him once.   
  
He often traced the mark on his hand, it pulsed under his fingers letting him know of existence of Stephen Strange. He held the mark against his face, and he could almost feel Stephen, in his vision, smell and skin. He swallowed the scream threatening to come up his throat. He could not go back to him anymore. He could not stay with him.    
  
_If only he could reverse the time_.   
  
  


* * *

  
It was another uneventful day.    
  
There was this uncomfortable- but not unbearable tingling sensation on his hand, spreading to his entire body. He managed to ignore, of course if it was something serious, he would get called upon.   
  
After ten minutes of ignoring the growing sensation, Tony could not. There was this looming fear inside his mind and refused to evaporate. He set up the portal to go to Stephen, he had put that in some far corner after his last incident on earth.   
  


 

* * *

Stephen was sliding against the ghastly looking disgusting creature 20x his size, with the Sacred Sword of Vishanti, detaching its head from its body. He gritted his teeth as he used all his remaining strength to cut through the rough hard skin. He was feeling his skin burning up. He had cuts all over his body and was pretty sure he was lacking a worrisome amount of blood. One previous blow his head took, with the lack of blood made him dizzy and nauseous. He briefly worried about his cloak, he was pretty sure it got torn. He hoped he could at least sew it up.   
  
It was a very bad idea to not only face a high level animal demon with an empty stomach, sleep deprived body but also shoo Wong away telling him to take care of the demon’s lackeys and secure the citizens. He contemplated. But it was not like he could do anything about it.    
  
He was halfway through the throat of that damned creature, when he felt it healing up quickly making his sword stuck halfway, he tried to move his arms, but it would not. He felt the sword disappear as he closed his eyes and felt his body grow lax. He braced himself for the finishing blow of the monster, it would be a quick end.    
  
_ Would I see Tony when I go to hell? Heaven is going to be so disappointing,  _ he snickered internally, even in his last moments, he was thinking about Tony.   
  
Instead of hitting the harsh ground, he felt himself being slowly laid on the grass. There was no howl of the monster anymore.    
  
  
He pried his eyes open forcefully. There was Tony staring at him, holding their marks together. Stephen guessed he was trying to channel his energy into him. As the rush of adrenaline subsided, Stephen felt his body aching like never before. Tony would not be able to make it. His body would give away faster than it would be able to transform the energy into fast healing ability. Going to hospital was out of question. He closed his eyes, despite the situation, his mind was infuriatingly calm. He could not find even a trace of anger towards Tony, there was frustration, hurt….but not anger.   
  
He clutched onto Tony. Tony stared at him, his eyes wild, “You are alright. It will heal in no time, just hang in there for a moment. Hold on.”   
  
Stephen shook his head, “Don’t waste time, hear me out.”   
  
Tony’s hold on Stephen grew tighter, “It is not wasting time, just wait a minute, it will be okay. You can give me a piece of your mind after that.”   
  
Stephen smiled softly, “You know that it is stupid yourself. Listen, when I die..”

  
“ **NO..DON’T!”** Tony screamed hysterically.   
  
Stephen continued, “You can have my soul, I am sorcerer so my soul should be able to give you enough power to heal your heart.”   
  
“No…” Tony’s voice cracked, “You will get better, then we can worry about my heart. There must be other ways. I don’t need it anyway.” His hold on Stephen should have been painful, breaking skin. Yet Stephen could not feel it anymore with his rapidly numbing body.   
  
He shook his head with a smile, “There was no other way.”

* * *

 

As Tony sat on the ground, holding the cold, limp body in his arms, he remembered.   
  
_He had not told Stephen how much he loved him._   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who have read through my strange (no pun intended) tale. I hope you liked it! You can blame me not writing anything for a while on watching anime and reading manga, Kimi Ni Todoke is cho cute :' ]
> 
> Anyway stay safe and happy, drink lots of water. Bye bye! Also all the names of the chapters from songs.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!! <3


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